Studies on the catalyzed hydroalumination of deep internal olefins to produce terminally bonded aluminum alkyls were conducted by Asinger et al. in the 1960's. See, Asinger, F.; Fell, B.; Janssen, R. Chem. Ber. 1964, 97, 2515-20; Asinger, F.; Fell, B.; Osberghaus, R. Ibid. 1971, 104, 1332-4; Asinger et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,322,806 (1967); and Muller, et al. U.S. Pat. No. 3,475,477 (1969). Those studies used as catalysts salts and alkoxides of transition metals, especially titanium and zirconium acting on triisobutyl aluminum. Unfortunately, and although unrecognized at the time, those reactions gave substantial amounts (.gtoreq.10% yield) of paraffin side products, as shown by subsequent studies at these laboratories.
Relatively economical processes for producing deep internal olefins are well known in the art. Thus, process technology enabling the conversion of deep internal olefins into terminally bonded aluminum alkyls with minimal paraffin by-product formation would be a most welcome contribution to the art, especially if the process results in high yields of the desired products.